Kids spend approximately three quarters of their day in a classroom, so of course this space needs to be comfortable, warm and inviting. It also needs to be set up according to child development needs. These needs play a huge roll in deciding where everything is going to be placed and what the classroom will contain. Even with larger classroom sizes with little bodies, each detail in a classroom needs to have a purpose and needs to be appropriate in size, usage and purpose. And with budget cuts running rampant in school districts, it’s sometimes difficult to make sure that standard equipment is the right size, and that there is enough of it. Early childhood and elementary teachers can usually create a week’s worth of lesson plans out of a shoebox, a piece of construction paper and a sharpie, so put that creativity to great use when designing a classroom around little ones with little to no developmentally appropriate furniture or equipment.
Seating all those bodies!
Yes, young children need seating that is their size. Feet do not need to be dangling and they do not need to be climbing up a chair in order to sit in it. So what do you do when you may not have 20-25 appropriately-sized chairs for all of your little bodies?
Make use of the floor space. Young children love to sit on the floor. With a few slant boards or clipboards, kids can still do their work neatly and probably even more comfortably than sitting in a chair. This works for centers too. Develop your centers around sit-upons or carpet squares. Tape off boundaries for center areas so bodies are kept within a limited space. If you have a shop class in your district high school, use this resource and ask for smaller sized scraps to be planed down to create writing boards, or any other needs you may have. District resources are great. Most of them have kids who need points for a grade or volunteer work for an organization. Put those kids to work!
Classroom storage, or lack thereof is also another concern for cramped classroom spaces.
Look up. Be sure to use that wall space that is out of reach. Shelves can be created with brackets and boards, which will house tons of thematic activities, books and supplies. If your school fire code limits the amount of items that can be hung on the walls, use larger tubs to store items in. If you find the heavy-duty kind that has the flat lid, these work great for ‘tables’ at your centers or small groups and they are the perfect size for little bodies to use. Throw in four carpet squares or pillows, and you have a perfect workspace!
What about items for kids who have finish working, or are lucky enough to have a bit of free time in a classroom?
Check out your local libraries for free books that have been taken out of circulation. Children’s consignment stores are also a great place to get floor puzzles, hardcover books, toys and games on a tight budget. File folder games are great too, and easy to make with very little supplies.
And finally, one of the most expensive items to purchase for a young classroom is the gigantic group time carpet. These rugs are so expensive!
Go to your local carpet store. Sometimes you can explain your situation and they will happily donate a remnant carpet with a low pile. It may not be all cutesy like the ones in the catalogs, but you can liven it up yourself with a bit of spray paint and stencils. If the carpet store won’t donate a remnant, you can definitely get one for a fraction of the normal cost. This is also a great place to get carpet squares.
Setting up an age-appropriate classroom does not have to cost a ton of money out-of-pocket. Think outside the box and tap into you district and community resources. What other things have you done when money is tight?
